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Maine Sen. Susan Collins is upset by yesterday's Senate defeat of the Defense Authoritzation bill containing the "don't ask, don't tell" repeal provision. Collins, who supports repealing the anti-gay policy, says Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid refused to allow Republicans enough time for debate and amendments. Collins indicated that she was surprised when Reid decided yesterday to bring the measure to a vote. "And it seems evident to me that, unfortunately, the majority leader is not pursuing the path that we discussed, or at least that's my interpretation of what he's saying," Collins said. "I think that's so unfortunate. I...

Gay-rights activists on Friday booed the mere mention of newly sworn in Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), the only Democrat to join Republicans in blocking a repeal of the Pentagon’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. At a Capitol Hill rally, two West Virginia natives took to the stage and condemned Manchin’s vote on Thursday, issuing veiled threats that they would work against his 2012 reelection if he did not reverse course. “I was disappointed yesterday in Senator Joe Manchin from the state of West Virginia,” said former Army Sgt. Pepe Johnson, a Clarksburg, W. Va., native who was discharged under the...

Can someone on this forum please explain to me how Senator Lieberman can introduce a "Free Standing Bill" to repeal DADT and get it voted on? Doesn't the House have to vote as well? How does the conservatives in the Senate stop him?

Our lamest of lame duck Congress is considering among other liberty destroying policies the repeal of what’s become known as “don’t ask, don’t tell”, in regards to sexual orientation of military recruits and service people. It was begun during the Clinton administration as a compromise as to the eligibility of homosexual (PC word... gay) recruits. Lotsa self-righteous posturing and grandstanding went on back then and is going on still today for public consumption! Leads one to contemplate what tis all about! IMHO "Don't ask, don't tell" is a problem for liberals because it’s just too dang successful! DADT to me...

On one of the most shameful days in the modern history of the Senate, the Republican minority on Thursday prevented a vote to allow gay and lesbian soldiers to serve openly in the military of the United States. They chose to filibuster a vital defense bill because it also banned discrimination in the military ranks. ...The senators who stood in the way of these measures must answer to the thousands of gay and lesbian soldiers who must live a lie in order to serve, or drop out.... The Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, said that he would allow another vote...

# Brown: "I accept the findings of the report and support repeal based on the Secretary’s recommendations" 6 minutes ago via web # Sen. Scott Brown, R-MA, said in a press release that he supports a repeal of DADT. 7 minutes ago via web

Here, for reasons that I shall provide in a memorandum to be filed in due course, I am certain that “a reasonable person with knowledge of all the facts would [not] conclude that [my] impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” United States v. Nelson, 718 F.2d 315, 321 (9th Cir. 1983); see also Sao Paulo State of the Federated Republic of Brazil v. Am. Tobacco Co., 535 U.S. 229, 233 (2002) (per curiam). I will be able to rule impartially on this appeal, and I will do so. The motion is therefore DENIED.

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), one of the Senate's freshest faces, broke with his party today and voted no on the cloture vote that would have likely moved Don't Ask, Don't Tell one step closer to an eventual repeal. After the vote, one Democratic aide said Manchin's vote was something of a stunt, coming as it did while cloture was sure to fail thanks to Republican opposition. The aide claimed that the former Governor of West Virginia wouldn't allow himself to the be the vote that stops repeal from going forward. In a statement to reporters tonight, Manchin suggested that as...

The rush by congressional Democrats to overturn "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) - despite the opposition of the Army, Air Force and Marine Corps service chiefs - threatens its advocates with a political backlash from a public that is just beginning to focus on this issue.Marine Commandant Gen. James Amos, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey all testified in a hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee that overturning DADT has strong potential to disrupt military readiness and effectiveness and will divert leadership attention away from focusing on preparing...

President Obama said Thursday he is "extremely disappointed" that the Senate failed to vote in favor of repealing "don't ask, don't tell."

There's still a long shot, last ditch effort to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell that could succeed. At a press conference today, after the Defense Authorization bill -- and with it the DADT repeal -- went down to defeat in a cloture vote, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) explained. "Senator Collins and I, Senator Udall and others will be, perhaps by the end of this day, introducing a free-standing bill -- a separate piece of legislation -- to repeal the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy," he said. Senators introduce legislation all the time, so this wouldn't mean much -- except for...

In other news water is wet, fire is hot A week ago the Senate Republican caucus sent a letter to Harry Reid telling him that they would not support acting on any legislation until the Congress vital business had been taken care of: For that reason, we write to inform you that we will not agree to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to any legislative item until the Senate has acted to fund the government and we have prevented the tax increase that is currently awaiting all American taxpayers. With little time left in this Congressional session, legislative...

A little birdie jut told me DADT has gone down in flames... GOP filibuster worked.

"@SenatorCollins and I and others are introducing a free standing bill to repeal #DADT today."

Carrie Dann writes: A key procedural vote on the bill containing a repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy failed Thursday, likely dealing a final blow to advocates who hoped to overturn the 17-year old ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the military during this session of Congress. Democrats needed 60 votes to advance the Defense Authorization bill for debate on the floor. The vote failed, 57-40. Ultimately, Majority Leader Harry Reid called for the vote without having reached a procedural agreement with moderate Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who supports repeal but wanted greater...

Another rush of legislation, taxes, budget, and a host of social agenda items. We've seen this bad movie before.  It resulted in Stimulus, and the Christmas Eve Obamacare vote last year. And it appears to be happening again. This lame duck Congress has no political legitimacy to pass anything other than a continuing budget resolution (including defense) to keep the government operating until the new Congress can consider a full budget, and perhaps to straighten out the tax situation since taxes will rise before the new Congress is seated if nothing is done. Much beyond that, Mitch McConnell should be...

The Maine Republican demands days of debate that the Senate may not have time for The DREAM Act is probably dead, and now the repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" hangs in the balance. This morning, things looked good. But it all may be falling apart. Or not. No one seems to know exactly where everyone stands. It looked like Maine Senator Susan Collins agreed to vote for the defense authorization bill in exchange for four days of floor debate and 15 amendments, but Reid might think that's just another delaying tactic. So... Reid may hold a vote today, or...

The behind-the-scenes debate in the Senate over don't ask don't tell has had more ups and downs than a roller coaster ride, and it appears that this morning we may be on another downward plunge. As you know, things were looking up yesterday afternoon. Talks were said to be progressing between Harry Reid, Joe Lieberman, and Susan Collins, who has emerged as the key to getting repeal passed. Last night Collins even made a final offer that didn't seem all that unreasonable: She said she largely accepted Reid's offer of 15 amendments, but added she needed four days of debate...

I was surprised to see the magnitude of favorable coverage of the Pentagon study on ending the ban on lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender people serving in the military. The negatives on a quad-sexual military don't make the front page. Where was it reported that 1,167 retired generals and flag officers support the ban on homosexuals? Why wasn't the focus that the vast majority of our combat troops and Marines oppose a quad-sexual military? Let's put this study in perspective. The commander gives the order to take the hill. Wait, let's poll the troops. Duh! The study presented those polled...

Senior Senate Democratic aides are in a panic this morning about the prospects for repeal of don't ask don't tell, because talks with Senator Susan Collins over her procedural demands have hit a wall, with the Democratic leadership dismissing her requests as unreasonable and counterproductive, a senior Dem aide close to the talks tells me. The talks are continuing as we speak, so all is not lost yet. Indeed, the logjam in the discussions comes as Dem leaders have stepped up their efforts to get moderate Republicans to agree to vote for cloture on repeal, with President Obama personally calling...